Chloe Rollie backs Emma Wassell to make World Cup after surgery to remove tumour

Chloe Rollie has backed team-mate Emma Wassell to prove her resilience by going to the World Cup with Scotland after recovering from major surgery to remove a benign tumour in her chest last year.

The 30-year-old forward missed the entire 2024-25 campaign after her health scare emerged in August, just four months after her mother died suddenly.

Although she has not played for almost a year, Wassell was recently named in Bryan Easson’s expanded 38-woman squad for the World Cup, and she has been back training with the national team over the past week ahead of the showpiece in England which gets under way in August.

“Honestly, she came in like she’s never been away, she’s making jokes, winding people up, having a laugh, it’s amazing to have her back in,” said Rollie.

“She’s fallen straight back into the rugby, it doesn’t even seem like she’s been away. She’s so fit, so strong, she’s doing really well.

“She’s a massive person in the squad, her personality is huge, she brings so much fun and energy, you can always rely on her to pick the room up.

“She’s bubbly but it’s also massive to bring her experience and leadership back into the pitch as well.

“After everything she’s been through, we want to perform for her as well. It doesn’t matter that she’s okay now and she’s feeling better, we still want to perform for her, to make those memories and bring it all together.”

The Scotland squad will be trimmed from 38 to 32 later this summer and full-back Rollie will not be surprised if Wassell does enough to make the cut despite her lack of game time.

“I think it’ll show how strong she is as an individual and as a person – mentally strong and physically strong,” said Rollie.

“To go through all the rehab and all the emotions that she’s felt over the last year and to come back and always focus on the end goal of playing rugby, being fit, getting to the World Cup – that’s always been her aim – so for that to finally be a possibility is massive. We’re all behind her on that.”